


An Unwavering Path

by ericsonclan



Series: Olympus Has Fallen [4]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Caves, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, Gen, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:21:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27390358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: Hermes decides to reach out to Violet in order to change her path.
Relationships: Louis & Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Minerva/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: Olympus Has Fallen [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1740499
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	An Unwavering Path

**Author's Note:**

> While humans retain their regular names, gods are referred to by their deity names. For reference:
> 
> Iris = Brody
> 
> Hypnos = Aasim
> 
> Hermes = Louis
> 
> Zeus = Carver
> 
> Thanatos = Jesse

Iris landed gracefully upon the ledge of the cave, looking back to see the waterfall hiding it from the outside world. The cave itself was too high for humans to reach, but the falling water had its source in the river Lethe, the source of forgetfulness, and provided an added protection. It was the perfect home for Hypnos. Ruffling her feathers lightly, she sighed in annoyance as a single one fell to the floor, its lavender hue shining against the dull grey of the cave floor. She was molting again. The stress of delivering so many messages these past few days was getting to her. Things were always busy for the messenger gods, but even more so when a war was brewing in the human world.

“Iris?” Hypnos’ voice came from deeper inside the cave. He emerged with a scroll in his hand, looking at the goddess in confusion. “I wasn’t expecting you today. Come in, come in,” He guided her further inside the cave, passing another magical barrier to enter his true abode. Couches, beds and pillows were comfortably spread out throughout the room, providing a myriad of places to lay down one’s head. Fitting décor for the god of sleep. 

Iris looked up at her friend who was scratching his goatee in thought, clearly studying something upon the scroll he held. “Am I interrupting?”

“I have some time to spare. Sit, tell me your news,” Guiding her to a chaise lounge, Hypnos took a seat upon an ottoman. His grey wings shone softly in the room’s light as he waited for her to speak.

A sigh escaped Iris’ lips. “I bring news from Zeus. We’ll both be needed these next few days to monitor the battlefield and deliver messages to him personally of how it progresses. Hermes will have his hands full guiding the dead to the underworld. I know this will throw a wrench into your schedule, but Zeus made it clear that his orders were non-negotiable,”

“They always are,” Hypnos replied, his lips forming a tight line. His eyes softened when he noted how Iris’ hands were fidgeting in her lap. “There’s no need to worry. I won’t put up a fight,”

“Thank you,” Iris’ face perked up a bit at his assurance. “I knew I could count on you. I’ve been such a nervous wreck these past few days I haven’t been able to think straight,”

“If you’d like, you could rest here for a few hours,” Hypnos raised a hand, its form drifting in and out of perception. If needed, Iris knew he could grant her sleep, a rare but occasionally necessary blessing.

She shook her head though. “There’s too much to be done. It’s nothing unusual being this busy when a war rolls around, but there’s something different this time. The lines of communication seem to be getting cut within the human realm and that messes with my own messages amongst the gods. It’s common for death to go hand in hand with war, but not  _ before  _ the battles have even started!”

Hypnos nodded thoughtfully. “I’ve been noticing that as well,” He motioned to the scroll in his hand. “Thanatos gave me this list of generals and commanders that have died these past few weeks. It’s taken some backtracking, but I believe I’ve found their commonality: all were present at the massacre of the Amazons in Lycia a few moons ago,”

The battle was still fresh in Iris’ memory. It had been a tragic day for the Amazons. So many lost at the hands of men simply for their coffers to be raided. It hadn’t been of great concern to Zeus who said it was the way of the strong to take what they desired, but it had still brought an ache to her heart as she flew over the burnt remains of Lycia. “So it’s a counterattack by the Amazons then. They’ve regrouped that quickly?”

“Not the Amazons. One lone Amazon,”

“What? You’re sure?” Iris looked at the list in disbelief. “But that’s so many names!”

“I’ve spent several nights examining the dreams and thoughts of the remaining Amazons. Their feelings are many: pain, confusion, despair, but one has been filled with a deep, irrevocable rage unlike anything I have seen for quite some time,” Circling a finger, Hypnos opened a portal to the girl’s dreams, portraying them for himself and Iris to examine.

The dream seemed to be happy at first. Two girls, one with the hair the color of grain, the others a fiery red, walked hand in hand through a meadow field, their arms swaying back and forth as they spoke. But everything changed within a moment. The sky grew dark and cracks formed in the earth, blood seeping up from the bowels of the underworld. The yellow-haired girl screamed as the other girl’s flesh melted before her, dripping from her bones till her bare skeleton was all that was left, washed away in moments by the river of blood. The living girl was swept away in its tide, blood covering her form as she struggled to remain above it, fighting for her life.

Then all blood was gone. The girl lay upon the barren, scorched earth. The land was burned to cinders, utterly black and desolate. The girl was silent, drenched in blood from head to toe. The only sound came from the rising and falling of her chest, a rasping echo in her throat. The girl looked lost, frail, broken. Then her eyes suddenly hardened, a cold steel forming within them. With a mighty cry, she thrust her hands inside her chest, pushing them into her heart. Slowly she pulled something from her torso. A long dagger, slick with blood. With a final wail, she removed the knife from her chest, gazing at the blade in awe. A single bloodied fist raised the weapon to the sky. There was a resounding clap of thunder and the dream ended, snuffed out in an instant.

Iris looked up at Hypnos with wide eyes. “Are all of her dreams like that?”

“More or less. I’ve received confirmation from other sources that she was behind these murders. If her dreams are any indication, she’s nowhere close to stopping,”

“Who’s stopping what now?” A voice came from behind them. They turned to see Hermes entering the room. His wings shimmered as he ruffled them luxuriously, stretching before collapsing dramatically onto one of the nearby beds. “Hypnos, have you been peeping on people’s dreams again?”

“I’ll have you know that that is my job!” Hypnos sputtered angrily, glaring at the other god. “And it’s not peeping! It’s my prerogative as the god of sleep!”

“Whatever you say, buddy,” Hermes shrugged before rising to his feet. “What’s that?”

Iris and Hypnos turned back to see that the dream portal had returned; the girl must have fallen asleep again. This time she was in a cave, crawling desperately. But instead of moving toward the light of the exit she was descending further and further into darkness as though striving to reach something far below the surface.

Hermes’ eyes widened in surprise. “Wait a minute. I know that girl!” He took another step forward, eyeing the dream with concern. “Why are you watching her?”

“I was just explaining to Iris that this girl is the cause behind the peculiar series of murders these past few moons,” Hypnos replied. “How do you know her?”

“I met her on the battlefield, after it was done. I was the one who guided her lover to Hades and the Elysian fields,”

“The highest fate for a mortal,” Hypnos observed. “Her love must have been quite the warrior,”

“She was. She possessed a spirit of determination that still shone forth as I separated the psyche from its shell. This one, Violet,” he gestured towards the dream, “wouldn’t accept her lover’s fate though. She wanted her back,”

Hypnos scoffed. “A foolish dream of mortals to think they can cheat death,”

Hermes raised an eyebrow. “Those are harsh words coming from the guardian of dreams,”

“I simply meant there is a wisdom in accepting fate, one many humans seem to lack,”

“Perhaps,” Hermes looked to the dream where Violet still struggled to go deeper underground. “I think if our roles were reversed though and it were we gods who stood mortal, we may hear the humans say the same thing while we cursed our fate,”

Iris looked thoughtful. “This girl, she seems to have left an impression on you, Hermes,”

Hermes considered his response, eyes lost in thought. “I felt her pain that day or at least a piece of it. I hoped to lessen it, but I don’t think my words reached her,”

“Some mortals are a lost cause,” Hypnos said dismissively. “No matter how you guide them they refuse to listen,”

“Or maybe they’re unable to hear,” Hermes’ fingers danced along the edges of the dream. “Humans aren’t like us. They’re bound to time and with that comes change. As time flows they become different people. Perhaps their new form would be one that listens,” Hermes turned to Hypnos, determination within his eyes. “I want to speak with her. Let me enter her dream,”

“What? That’s ridiculous! It’s only been a matter of months since you saw her. That’s not enough time for change!”

“There’s no harm in trying is there?”

“There could be,” Iris’ voice was soft. “This girl’s mind is frail, vulnerable. And from her actions these past few months I see no signs of time giving her a more positive outlook,”

“All the more reason for me to help her! Look, you must have been observing her dream for a reason and the only one I can imagine Hypnos having is that Violet’s murders are disrupting efficiency. If that’s the case, let me try to fix your problem for you,” A cheeky smile crossed Hermes’ face. “Also, I won’t leave until you let me,”

Hypnos glared at him in annoyance before letting out a world-weary sigh. “Fine. If it will get you out of my home, I’ll allow your silly endeavor,” The portal containing Violet’s dream took on a translucent, shimmering glow. “Touch it. Your presence will immerse her dream,”

Hermes looked to Iris for confirmation. She gave a shrug. It wasn’t as if she’d ever tried something like this before. With nothing to go on but Hypnos’ word, Hermes took a breath, closed his eyes, and reached out his fingers to enter the portal. Immediately his mind was transported within the cave, the very one of Violet’s dream.

Hermes glanced down, seeing his body before him, yet he felt weightless. He wasn’t fully here. Only a form of him, transported to this place to meet the wayward human. He was standing within a cavern. Along the far wall he could see a tunnel. That must be where Violet was. At any moment she would emerge. He stood silent, waiting for that moment.

A short sound of scuffling, a rush of dirt and pebbles, and the young Amazon emerged. She blinked in confusion at the light cast by the god’s wings, her own eyes used to the darkness of this dream cave. When she could see more clearly, she looked to Hermes with a scowl.

“I’m not who you’re looking for,” The god’s voice was soft. “I know that,”

“You don’t belong here,” Violet got to her feet and looked round the room, groaning in frustration when she saw there was no way to go further down, only up through the very tunnel she’d descended. “You’re fucking things up!”

“I didn’t know my presence would alter the dream,” Hermes noted. His aura cast shadows upon the walls, strange shapes that wiggled and squirmed as he stepped forward. “But you already know it’s a dream, don’t you?”

Violet refused to look up, her arms crossed in front of her and shoulders hunched. “It could have been a nice dream,”

“Was it before I came?”

“It had hope before you were here. Hope of… seeing her,” Violet’s eyes suddenly rose, burning with anger. “But here you are keeping me from her, just like you tore me away!” The walls came alive with her words, flames licking out from above and below and dancing around them. Violet’s face contorted in pain as the heat rose round her.

Hermes couldn’t feel it. He was witness to this dream, not participant. Violet was the one guiding the dream even though her turbulent emotions prevented her from controlling it. That must mean that she’d been wrong about him altering the dream too. The one who’d led her to this dead end was herself. Did that mean she knew how futile her efforts were? Even if she did, her anger prevented her from accepting the truth just as it had that day on the battlefield. Hypnos was right. She hadn’t changed.

“What are you doing here?” Violet screamed in anger. Her voice reverberated through the cave, causing it to shatter and break and sending both of them tumbling into an abyss.

Hermes opened his wings, righting himself and stopping his fall. He looked down to find Violet in order to catch her. But when he spotted her, he realized she wasn’t falling through the darkness. She was sinking deeper and deeper as though through water. Lowering his wings, Hermes allowed himself to drift down towards her.

Her eyes were dull as they met his, as if all the fight had drained out of her body. Her voice was low as she spoke again. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help,”

Violet shook her head. “You can’t,”

“I’m here to try,” Gently, Hermes reached out, touching the place just behind Violet’s ear. A golden light shone back in response. The feather he’d given her. It was still there.

“I won’t stop,” Violet’s voice was cold as she looked upon Hermes. The abyss around them took on a lurid red tone.

“I know,” Hermes’ eyes were downcast, introspective.

“Then why did you come?”

Why did he come? If it had been to stop her, he knew she had not changed as soon as their eyes met. He should have left at that moment. The real question then was why did he stay? Looking down at Violet as the pair continued their descent through the inky void, he couldn’t find a clear purpose behind his actions. But he felt a truth. He cared for this girl. He wanted her safe. And he hoped somehow after her journey of bloodshed had ended she could return home.

Slowly, Hermes extended a finger. Violet watched as it approached her, flinching as it touched her skin just above her collarbone. The skin began to glow as though coming forth from deep inside. “For luck,” the god whispered, a small smile upon his face. Violet’s eyes returned to the god. She was silent though she looked as though there was something she wished to say. Before she could, her back fell hard against the cold, hard sand. In an instant, Hermes was pulled up from the abyss. His eyes shot open and he was standing once more between Iris and Hypnos.

“Well,” Hypnos looked upon Hermes with disdain. “From what we witnessed it appears you weren’t able to convince the Amazon of the error of her ways after all, were you?”

“No,” Hermes looked back towards the portal, but it was gone. Violet must have awoken.

“Do you think it helped?” Iris asked softly.

“I’m not sure,”

“Useless,” Hypnos scoffed, stepping away. “Now keep your word and get out of my home,”

Hermes was silent as he turned to exit the cave. He hadn’t stopped her. If anything, he’d aided her journey. A wry smile crossed his lips.  _ For all the talk we gods give of humans’ weakness and our strength, how often do we bend to the mortals’ will?_

\--- 

Violet woke with a start. Her eyes shot back and forth, searching for signs of potential danger. There was nothing. It was the dream that had awoken her and nothing more. Another dream where her goal slipped out of her reach. Violet closed her eyes, feeling a tear roll down her face as she took a shaky breath. She shivered as she felt the tear strike something cold and metallic upon her neck.

Sitting up, Violet reached for her neck to find a golden band there. Following it to the base, her fingers met with some sort of pendant. Violet lifted it up, straining her eyes to see within the darkness. It was a golden caduceus. A pair of snakes twirled round a winged staff, intricate and beautiful. Faint memories of the dream danced within Violet’s mind. Hermes had been there, not just a figment of her imagination but really there. And he’d given her this. For luck. What was she to do with it?

She hadn’t the faintest clue. She let the talisman drop, tucked safely underneath her tunic. Looking around, she could tell it was still a few hours away from dawn. She wouldn’t get any more sleep. Best to move on and use this time to further her goals. Collecting her sparse belongings, Violet rose and continued her journey. On to the next kill. Twice blessed by a god she’d renounced.


End file.
